Monoclonal Anti-mouse pDC/IPC/CD317/BST2 (clone 120G8.04)

Dendritics generated rat monoclonal antibody (mAb) that recognizes mouse plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). The target molecule was found to be BST2 (bone marrow stromal cell antigen 2). This antibody, named 120G8, stains a small subset of CD11c-low spleen cells with high specificity. This population produces high amounts of IFNα upon in vitro viral stimulation. Both ex vivo- and in vitro-derived 120G8+ cells display a phenotype identical with that of mouse pDCs (B220-high Ly6C-high Gr1-low CD11b- CD11c-low). Mice treated with 120G8 mAb are depleted of B220-high Ly6C-high CD11c-low cells and have a much reduced ability to produce IFNα in response to in vivo CpG stimulation. mAb 120G8 stains all and only B220-high Ly6C-high CD11c-low pDC in all lymphoid organs. Immunohistochemical studies performed with this mAb indicate that pDC are
located in the T cell area of spleen, lymph nodes, and Peyer’s patches. Using 120G8 mAb in immunofluorescence studies demonstrates mouse strain- and organ-specific differences in the frequency of pDCs and other DC subsets (Asselin-Paturel C et al, 2003 ; J. Immunol., 172:6466; Blasius AI, 2006, J. Immunol., 177:3260 ; Goubier A et Al, 2008, Immunity, 29:464-475).